


no opposition to my proposition

by cupcakeb



Series: trioverse [2]
Category: Elite (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Half-Sibling Incest, Multi, Polyamory, Threesome - F/M/M, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-29
Updated: 2020-12-29
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:40:24
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,331
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28405647
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cupcakeb/pseuds/cupcakeb
Summary: On Thursday afternoon he comes home from his film noir class to find Lu sitting in the leather armchair in front of the living room windows, wearing a white fluffy robe, her hair up in a towel. No fanfare, or build-up, or warning — she’s just suddenly back.
Relationships: Lucrecia "Lu" Montesinos Hendrich/Valerio Montesinos Hendrich, Lucrecia "Lu" Montesinos Hendrich/Valerio Montesinos Hendrich/Leopoldo "Polo" Benavent Villada, Polo Benavent/Valerio Montesinos
Series: trioverse [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2080422
Comments: 10
Kudos: 41





	no opposition to my proposition

**Author's Note:**

  * For [winplsl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/winplsl/gifts).



> It's only taken me like four months of not being able to get over the original story that started this trio mess to write a coherent sequel! 
> 
> This story is dedicated to [winplsl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/winplsl) aka the original day one trio supporter! Hope this brightens your day just a bit! (Your gifs on tumblr are the gift that keeps on giving!)

“When did you know?”

They’re high as fuck, thanks to Valerio’s new yoga friend slash organic 100% sustainably sourced weed dealer. Val’s in between Polo’s legs on the couch in their London apartment, his head in his lap, and Polo stops short of giggling in response.

Well, not really — he’s high as a kite. He thinks about stopping the giggle from leaving his lips, but it’s too late, the familiar giddy rumbling already moving up his throat. Val leans back to grin up at him — the movement of it pressing his head against Polo’s crotch in a way he definitely doesn’t hate — and he ruffles his hair a little.

“When did I know _what_?”

Is this the whole ‘ _when did you realize you like boys_ ’ conversation? He can never be sure with Valerio. He’s too unpredictable.

It’s nice to just talk to him sometimes. They’ve been doing more of this in the past few months since Lu took off for her semester abroad — more open conversations in bright daylight rather than hushed serious whispers as a form of pillow talk. It’s not that they weren’t close before, but the vibe has shifted a little; he’s gotten to know a more sincere, serious side of Val, and in turn he’d like to think he’s been a little more adventurous around him, too.

Of course it’s bizarre to think all of this is somehow still working for them. He’s in his third year of university, and he’s been in the same monogamous yet polyamorous relationship for the past two years and a bit. On paper it shouldn’t work; thankfully Valerio and Lu aren’t really a fan of doing anything by the book.

Sitting up to push his back against Polo’s chest, Val shakes his head. “You know, like, when did you _know_...”

No, he doesn’t know. Is it the drugs clouding his judgment or is Valerio just really bad at getting his point across today?

“I literally have no clue what the fuck you’re asking, Val.”

Valerio reaches for his hand to play with the bracelet on his wrist, and Polo sees him looking at the matching one on his own, a small smile playing on his lips. “It’s cool if you don’t want to talk about it.”

Well, maybe if he knew what it is they’re talking about, he could decide whether he _wants_ to be talking about it. Val squeezes his hand, then lets out a short, slightly manic giggle and Polo is too high to get annoyed with how this conversation isn’t going anywhere, but it sure is silly.

“Can you use, like, actual words to ask whatever it is you’re asking,” he tries again, giggling when he realizes his drug-infused grammar isn’t actually much easier to understand.

God, he wishes Lu was here to see this. She’d roll her eyes at them all condescending yet awfully fond, and she’d probably be able to translate whatever Valerio is trying to say into an actual question.

Instead, she’s in _fucking_ Hong Kong, because of a _fucking_ degree requirement that meant she was forced to spend time at one of UCL’s partner schools abroad. Fuck that. (Fuck, he misses her so much, he can’t even keep the profanity to a reasonable minimum. Valerio is definitely rubbing off on him.)

He feels Valerio’s hand on his thigh, drumming his fingers, and covers it with his own to get him to stop. “Me and Lu,” his curls fly around his head adorably as he chuckles. Polo runs a hand through his hair just because. “When did you realize.”

Oh. Well, that’s not the conversation he thought they were having.

“I always knew, babe,” he jokes, moving to wrap his arm around Valerio’s waist. When the other boy turns his head to kiss his neck, he sighs. That obviously means he wants a real answer.  
  
“Probably senior year, when you stayed with me. You’d always get weirdly defensive whenever I mentioned I thought it was cruel she just let your dad kick you out.”

The hum Val lets out is calm and pensive, and soon another question follows. “When did you know for sure?”   
  
Polo lets out a laugh. It’s cute, honestly, when Val gets analytical. Other people get all philosophical when they’re stoned; he just gets pensive and a little withdrawn.

“Why are you quizzing me on this?”

“I just want to know.”

“You know I don’t care, right? It’s... I don’t care.”

He’s too high for this to turn into a serious, emotional heart-to-heart, but he wants Valerio to feel safe around him. There’s no need to hide this side of himself when they’re together; Lu once told him it’s one of the reasons she loves the both of them — because she doesn’t have to pretend around them.

“Just tell me,” Valerio says, turning around to hover between Polo’s legs, shifting back so his weight is resting on his knees. “I’m curious.”  
  
Well, okay, if he wants an honest answer, Polo will give him that. For whatever it’s worth…

“Summer after graduation. I saw you make out when you thought I was asleep on the couch.”  
  
Now Valerio is the one laughing, sort of folding his body in half as he leans back on his knees. “And you didn’t think that was weird?”  
  
Well, yeah, of course. But it’s not like he hadn’t sort of been expecting it. “You said I looked pretty asleep, I didn’t wanna take any chances.”

Then Valerio kisses him, and they both decide they’ve talked enough for a while.

They’re late for their lunchtime call with Lu — stupid time difference — and she doesn’t look even a little impressed when she sees they’re both mostly naked and all over each other.

Polo misses her so much sometimes, it hurts to breathe.   
  
***

Six months is hardly a long time to be apart.

They had plans to visit her last October, but then their flight got canceled as Hong Kong erupted into political protests, and they’ve just kind of never gotten around to rebooking it. Now it’s the middle of February, and Lu is due to be back a week from today, after celebrating Chinese New Year with friends.

Having Valerio around while Lu is gone is kind of a godsend. Well, in the sense that Polo obviously would’ve been fine on his own, too, but it helps him keep loneliness and sexual frustration at bay, both things he doesn’t deal particularly well with. (He absentmindedly finds himself wondering how Lu might be dealing with the latter... it’s giving him all kinds of ideas.)

“Should we throw her a welcome party?”

Valerio is at the stove, frying eggs for breakfast while Polo sits at the breakfast bar, chowing down a bowl of granola.

“She’d probably kill us,” he replies around a mouthful of oats. “The last thing Lu will want after a thirteen-hour flight is to have to see people other than us.”

He only feels a little giddy about that; about being one of the two people she always wants to be around. It’s probably stupid, but Lu is picky so this feels like an impressive accomplishment.

Val shuffles the eggs from the pan onto his plate and grins. “I wonder if she’ll look different.”

“We speak to her on FaceTime like three times a week, you know what she looks like.”

Hot. She still looks unfairly hot. And smart, and ambitious and demanding and like she’s gonna fucking rule the world someday; she looks like all of those things when she flashes them that cocky little smile on camera. He can’t wait to see her again for real.

“Yeah, but, you know...” Val trails off. “Maybe she’ll smell different.”

Polo laughs. “Maybe we’ll smell different to her.”

Valerio comes over and wraps an arm around his shoulder from behind, breathing him in and Polo lets himself lean back to enjoy this. He loves lazy Sunday mornings with Valerio almost as much as he loves them when they’re all together.

“You smell like you could use a shower,” Val jokes, even though they literally just showered together last night. Then he’s pulling on Polo’s hand until the shorter boy reluctantly slides off the barstool, waiting for him to follow Valerio towards the bathroom. He strips off his clothes along the way, and Polo giggles, pulling his own shirt over his head.

Once they’re in the bathroom, he grabs a handful of Valerio’s curls — which have gotten a little too unruly and long, he needs to get him to a hairdresser before Lu comes back — and kisses him, taking the lead. He turns on the rainforest shower, pushing Valerio under the gentle drip of water and follows suit, grinning when the other boy tries to push him against the wall.

“Let me,” he breathes, switching positions with him and running a hand along the muscled outline of Valerio’s chest, his back pressed against the cold marble wall now. Valerio sneaks a hand between them and gently teases at Polo’s hipbones, smiling into the passionate kiss they’re sharing when Polo stutters out a moan. He hates how good Val is at pushing his buttons, sometimes.

“Can you—,” he doesn’t quite finish that thought, because Valerio falls to his knees in front of Polo, lukewarm water still softly bouncing off of his body like soft summer drizzle and Polo stops thinking altogether when Val’s hand wraps around him and he swirls his tongue around the head of his cock like a slow, lazy kiss hello.

Polo is probably never gonna get used to how good Val is at that.

They talk about Lu sometimes when they do this, and today is no different. Valerio’s mouth is kind of occupied with other things, but Polo’s isn’t, so he says, “Bet Lu would love to see you like this, on your knees for me,” and lets out a loud groan when Valerio responds by unhinging his jaw further and taking him deeper.

Sunday mornings are still his favorite.

***

On Thursday afternoon he comes home from his film noir class to find Lu sitting in the leather armchair in front of the living room windows, wearing a white fluffy robe, her hair up in a towel. No fanfare, or build-up, or warning — she’s just suddenly back.   
  
(Three days earlier than planned. He totally knew she was up to something when she canceled their FaceTime date last minute yesterday.)

She hasn’t heard him come in, or if she has, she hasn’t shown any acknowledgment of it yet. Instead, she’s just gazing out the window, and when he takes a step closer, he can see there’s a smile on her face.

Valerio is gonna be home any minute now, and he kind of feels bad if he gets to hug and kiss her first, so he contemplates just sneaking into his room without acknowledging the surprise guest.

But honestly? Fuck it. He takes another minute to just stare at her a little, tries to tell himself this is actually real, and then he drops his laptop bag with a thud and smiles when Lu looks over at him.

“How long have you been home?” he asks, trying to sound normal instead of really fucking excited. He’s walking over to her now, and she gets up to meet him halfway.

It’s awkward for maybe half a second because they both realize they haven’t touched one another in six months, but after a tight hug and a kiss on the cheek, it feels completely normal again. He pulls the towel from Lu’s head and laughs at the chaotic nest of wet hair on her head. “I asked you a question.”

“I got back two hours ago,” she says, already playing with the buttons on his shirt, and god, he’s never wanted anyone more. “When is Val getting back?”

She’s biting her lip as she asks, and he can totally tell she’s debating whether she can wait until he’s home to get him naked. That’s what he wants, too, obviously, but he has no idea how they’re gonna make it that long. Their reunion really should be a shared experience.

He checks his watch and shrugs. “I think his yoga thing ended half an hour ago, so he should be on his way.”

Lu looks up at him through hooded eyes, then nods and grabs his wrist, smiling as she brushes the bracelet on it. She leads him to their (fuck yes) bedroom and says, “Let’s warm up the bed for when he gets here, shall we?”

Well, he isn’t gonna object to that. They come to stop right in front of the bed, and he reaches for the ties on her robe and moans when it slips off her shoulders. She’s in black lacy lingerie, complete with a fucking garter belt and thigh highs and he wants her so bad, it’s gonna be actual torture to wait for Valerio to get home.

Polo has half a mind to reach for his phone and call Val right now, just to make sure he hurries the fuck up.

Lu turns around and poses for him, and he can’t help but pull on the lace bodice she’s wearing, getting her to take a step closer. “Did you dress up for us?”

She whimpers as she nods, and her eyes are black as night now, so at least he’s not the only one affected by all this. He kind of still can’t believe she’s here — the thought of her picking out lingerie for them makes him want to rip it off of her. “Want me to make you feel good? Come on, let’s get you ready for Val, he’ll join when he gets back.”

All Lu does in response is let out a quiet little whine, so he’s pretty sure she’s happy for him to push her down onto the mattress, and she waits obediently as he finishes taking off his shirt (stupid buttons) and pants.

“Aren’t you gonna kiss me?” he asks, sitting back against the pillows as she crawls towards him on all fours, giving him a great view straight down her cleavage. This is gonna be amazing. Lu sits down in his lap, grinds experimentally, and he doesn’t miss the way her pupils widen with anticipation when she feels him already half-hard for her. “You good up there? On top?”

He doesn’t know why he asks at all. He’s dominant with Valerio — he basically just manhandles him and tells him what to do — but with Lu, it’s a little different. With Lu, he’s careful, and constantly making sure anything he makes her do brings her pleasure. That doesn’t mean he enjoys bossing her around any less. She _definitely_ loves it.

She’s learned to take direction better over the years.

Lu finally moves towards him the rest of the way until they’re chest to chest, then runs a hand through his hair and leans in for a kiss. He’s sure she meant for it to just be a short peck, because he feels her trying to pull away again, but there’s no way he’s gonna let that happen. She kisses a line from his mouth to his jaw just so she can giggle and say, “You really need a haircut.”

Polo laughs against her hair. “You should see Val. We were gonna go tomorrow. Totally your fault for coming home early.”

Lu giggles again, this time sitting back on his thighs so she can get a proper look at him. “Your fault for not googling when Chinese New Year is. It was so obvious I was playing you.”

God, he missed her so fucking much. That indignant little smirk on her lips when she thinks they’re both being stupid, her smile, the way she craves attention as soon as the possibility of someone touching her comes up. He sees her squirm a little, trying to grind down on his thighs, and he decides they can catch up later.

In one quick move, he pulls her back into his lap, holding onto her hips hard enough to bruise and she moans before she gets the hint and kisses him. Then they both get a little carried away, like he’s trying to touch every inch of her without having to move, and she’s biting down on his lip when he looks over her shoulder and sees Valerio standing at the end of the bed, watching them.

“Lu,” Polo murmurs, except she’s too caught up in the moment to be deterred by someone saying her name. He squeezes her hips and waits for her to pull back, then motions over to Valerio, who’s already taken his shirt off.

Valerio looks delighted, and a huge grin spreads across Lu’s face. Polo doesn’t even mind that she instantly climbs out of his lap and jumps up into Valerio’s arms, kissing him as she wraps her legs around his waist. When she pulls away, she’s laughing. “You really do need a haircut.”

“Yeah? I was thinking I’d just get dreadlocks,” he jokes, clearly just to piss her off because she huffs and frowns at him. Polo puts an arm behind his head. He’s pretty sure he could watch them bicker for hours and not get bored. Valerio finally sets Lu down on the ground, smiling as he looks her up and down. “Nice outfit. Is that for us?”

Polo is definitely never gonna stop feeling incredibly possessive and turned on when Valerio uses the word _us_ in a sexual way. She’s theirs and they’re hers; that’s just a fact. Doesn’t make it any less thrilling to hear, though.

“She came home early,” Polo addresses Valerio. He feels the bed dip, then smiles at Val who’s sat down next to him, their shoulders brushing. “Don’t you think she deserves to be punished for lying to us?”

They grin at each other, then beckon for Lu to come closer and...

Yeah, he fucking missed this. Not just Lu, but Lu and Val together. He missed how fucking hot it is to watch as Valerio fucks her thoroughly while he plays with her breasts. He missed the little sounds she makes when she’s close, how she’ll cling to his wrist like she wants to hurt him in the best of ways.

He’s glad he won’t have to miss any of that anymore.

***

Polo wakes up, and Lu is pressed all along his back, skin on skin. Valerio’s hand is resting on his shoulder where he’s reached an arm over Lu to touch both of them, and Polo lets himself relish in this feeling for a moment. Lu’s like a furnace next to him, so warm he must’ve lost the sheets sometime during the night.  
  
When he checks his phone for the time, it’s just after ten ‘o clock at night, but who knows what timezone Lu is even on at the moment. They were all a little too spent to consider getting up again after their little unexpected reunion interlude.  
  
He doesn’t want to wake anyone up, but he’s fucking starving. Dinner was skipped in favor of putting their mouths to better use. Sighing quietly, he sneaks out of their embrace and watches for a moment as Lu lets out a frustrated whine in her sleep, burrowing closer to Valerio now that Polo is no longer there for her to use as her own personal body pillow. The two of them look young and peaceful and at ease like this, and he really wishes he didn’t have to leave them, even if it’s just to quickly grab a bite to eat in the kitchen.  
  
Tiptoeing out of the room, he makes a beeline for the fridge and mentally goes through its contents, grinning when he remembers there should be some leftover Chinese from last night. A few spring rolls will definitely do the trick.  
  
He’s just bitten into the second one when Valerio walks over, equally naked and looking about as hungry as Polo had felt just a second ago. He wordlessly holds out a spring roll and smiles when Valerio chows it down in one bite. Polo reaches for the carton of milk, handing it to Valerio without being prompted, and Val flashes him a smile before he chugs down a decent amount of the stuff. (Normal people drink water — Valerio just drinks full-fat milk. Whatever works for him…)  
  
They nibble on a little more food, barely bother to talk, and the silence is comfortable. Valerio finally wraps an arm around him from behind and breathes him in, then waits for Polo to turn around in his arms. He does, leaning up to kiss him softly, in a way that’s somehow fitting for this late-night rendezvous in their kitchen.  
  
“Wanna watch a movie?”  
  
Polo hesitates. It’s definitely a little early to go to bed, but he doesn’t really want to leave Lu alone tonight so he shakes his head and leads Val back over to the bedroom.  
  
When they get there, they both chuckle. Lu has somehow managed to move from her spot in the middle of the mattress, claiming what used to be her side of the bed in her sleep. Territorial is definitely a fitting way to describe her.  
  
She’s still fast asleep, barely even realizes the bed shifts when the two of them get in next to her, so jet lag must be catching up with her.  
  
After a few minutes of talking to Val in hushed whispers, he drifts off again.  
  
***  
  
The next morning, Lu wakes them up by unceremoniously letting herself fall back on the bed between them, sort of landing on top of them both as she instantly reaches for whatever part of them she can get her hands on to tickle them awake.  
  
Valerio is instantly more awake than Polo, always up for silly games like this, and Polo hears him giggle as he pulls Lu into his lap. It’s still dark outside, and he gives himself another minute to pretend to be asleep before he feels Lu’s hand on his chest, reaching for him, and he finally gives in.

“What do you want to do today?” Polo asks her when their breathing has calmed down again, when they're all naked and pressed together.

Lu grins up at him from where her head is resting on his chest. “Everything,” she says, sitting up so she can watch their faces while she does. “Can we do stupid touristy shit?”

Neither of them is very good at saying no to her, and playing tourist really is one of the most fun things he can think of on a rainy, gray Friday. He technically has class and he knows Val had plans, too, but all of that was instantly irrelevant the second Lu showed up.  
  
They end up in china town, sharing a large cup of boba because Valerio doesn’t usually put, “Chemical shit like that,” into his body but Lu was really annoying about it, saying she developed a taste for it in Hong Kong. It’s pouring rain, so they duck into a tube station to figure out their next move while staying somewhat dry, and he knows what Lu is gonna suggest before she even says it.  
  
“No.”  
  
Mercato is a cute little Italian food market located in an old church, and there’s a ton of different food options. Lu is absolutely obsessed with their gelato, and he’s been waiting for her to ask to go ever since they left the house today.  
  
“Please? We can Uber there if you don’t wanna walk.”  
  
Valerio needs a moment longer to get what’s going on, but then he groans, too. “Not the fucking ice cream place again. That place is always so crowded.”  
  
“London’s always crowded, that’s not gonna stop me from getting the gelato I want.”  
  
The boys look at each other and shrug because really, there’s no way they’re not gonna let her call the shots today anyway. It’d be a thirty-minute walk in the rain, and neither of them is even remotely in the mood for that, so Polo tells Lu to call an Uber and squeezes her cheek teasingly when she grins all triumphantly.

It’s worth it for the cute look on her face as she spends fifteen minutes sampling different ice cream flavors alone.

***

He’s a lot better than Lu at pretending to be asleep.

She’s been home for two days, and he’s asleep with his head in Valerio’s lap on the couch. Well, he was asleep, anyway. Now he’s just keeping his eyes closed and his breathing even because he’s pretty sure they’re talking about him.

“Is he really okay?” It’s Lu who asks it, and he kind of wants to hug her.

Val runs a hand through Polo’s hair, and he feels him shrug behind him. “He’s been fine since he got his meds figured out two years ago.”

“I know that,” Lu bites, suddenly sounding frustrated and he just knows she’s rolling her eyes. She sighs. “You know I worry.”

“Don’t.”

The answer is definite in a way that will probably stop Lu from worrying, at least for a while.

***

It takes them absolutely no time to settle back into their old routine.

They all have their own distinct groups of friends, but the great thing about having a boyfriend _and_ a girlfriend is one of them tends to have time for him, even if the other is busy. It’s kind of genius.

He’s almost done with his last semester of class, and that’s freaking him out a little. Not that he has any need to work, really, thanks to rather generous sponsoring from his mothers’ side, but still. It would be nice to know what he wants to do with the rest of his life.

Lu and Valerio seem to have no such issues.

Lu has a five-year plan, and internships lined up, and another year of school to go before she needs to figure out her next step. Val just goes with the flow, but he does actually teach different yoga classes four days a week, which he seems happy with.

Polo’s kind of jealous of them. He’d love to find his calling, or at least have an inkling as to how he’d like to spend his time after he graduates.

His mothers’ way of showing support is misguided, as always. They’re in town for a visit in April, thankfully staying at a nearby hotel since, “There wouldn’t be room for us at the apartment,” and they take him and Lu out for dinner one night to hand him a suspiciously thick envelope of papers.

He looks at them and laughs. “Is this you officially un-adopting me?”

Lu kicks him, but she’s smiling a little, so she definitely thought that was funny, too.

“We want you to join the family business,” Andrea says instead, and he’s left staring at the paperwork in shock. If he signs these, he’ll officially own 20% of the biggest publishing conglomerate in Iberia, and maybe even Europe. There’s no way he’s ready for that.

“We’ll help you figure things out, it wouldn’t have to be right away,” Begoña chimes in, and Lu is smiling at them encouragingly, which really isn’t helping.

He instantly knows he’d be stupid to turn this down. He can tell by the look on Lu’s face that she’ll literally murder him if he says no. (“At least one of you two should have an actual career,” she tells him later, and he selfishly wonders why that can’t be Val.)

When he still hasn’t said anything after a couple of minutes, his mothers go into full damage control mode. “Let’s just talk about this after dessert.”

He thinks about it all night. They get back home after dinner and Valerio’s at some overnight meditation thing — they never ask for details and he doesn’t bother trying to offer them up — so Lu leads him to the little liquor cabinet in the living room and pours them both a dollop of bourbon.

“What’s there to think about?” she asks, and he doesn’t have an answer. “Other people would kill to get this sort of opportunity presented to them on a silver platter.”

It’s difficult to explain why he’s feeling uneasy about all of this, but he absolutely is.

“I don’t know, maybe I just thought I’d find something I actually enjoy doing after graduation. This just sounds like a fake title and a few fake meetings a week so my mothers can pretend their adult son is making his own money.”

Lu shrugs. “So?”

She’s oversimplifying this and he knows it. He raises his voice at her before he can stop it. “So? So how would you feel if your father set you up with a job that isn’t even a job but would keep you comfortable for the rest of your life.”

He should’ve phrased that better, but he’s getting a little annoyed with her. She flinches at the mention of her father — yeah, he’s an asshole for not thinking of a better comparison — and he runs a hand down her arm to reassure her.

“I would feel grateful to be privileged enough to take advantage of that sort of nepotism.”

She’s absolutely lying through her teeth, and he’s too frustrated not to call her out on it.

“No, you’d accept because you’d be stupid not to and then you’d be bitter about how you didn’t make it on your own merit for the rest of your life.”

Lu looks offended for a second like she’s ready to deal some blows, but then she takes a deep breath and stays quiet for a moment, probably to consider his words. Finally, she turns to him and says, “You’d still be stupid to turn them down.”

“I obviously won’t,” he laughs. “But give me a few days to pretend like I’m making an autonomous choice about all this.”

He’s not like her — he doesn’t have her ambition or her drive, or her borderline terrifying dedication to making sure she’ll be the best at whatever she ends up doing. He knows he’ll embrace the cushy job and the title and the money, but for a few hours, he’d like to pretend there are alternative paths for him to go down.

“You could always get a job at Starbucks,” Lu teases, biting her lip as she puts her tumbler of bourbon down on the coffee table. She runs a hand down his cheek teasingly. “We’d save so much money on coffee, it might even be worth it.”

This is her way of saying she gets it. He laughs into the kiss she leans in for, calls her crazy, and stops thinking about scary things like the future for a while.

***

His mothers foot the bill for their post-graduation summer trip around South America. He suggested Asia, but Lu hated the idea of possibly being stranded somewhere where no one speaks English, and in the end, South American beaches and rainforest hikes and a glimpse at some of the cultures that shaped the two people he loves most in the world sounded tempting.

“Mexico isn’t _South_ America, Polo,” Lu corrects when they’re out for lunch in London on their last day in town before their flight. “It’s like I’ve taught you nothing these past three years.”

They’ve each picked out a country they wanna see, and Polo is irrationally excited to get going tomorrow. Right now they’re comparing notes, and of course Lu’s got actual full day to day itineraries drawn up for all of the places they plan on visiting. He’s glad she’s this neurotic about things because it leaves him and Valerio to just enjoy their trip. (He knows she enjoys this part, too.)

“You know we never listen to you, Lu,” Val teases, which instantly makes Lu gasp in mock offense. She goes off on a tangent, undoubtedly making some very good points, and he catches Valerio’s eye to smile at him.

He’s pretty content with the way things are going.

**Author's Note:**

> find me [on tumblr](http://cupcakeb.tumblr.com/)


End file.
